How to See What Your Friends Are Listening To in Real Time on Spotify

Spotify has made its in-app Messages a lot more useful. If you’ve ever wanted to show a friend what you’re listening to in real time or instantly turn that moment into a shared listening session, two new features make that possible: Listening Activity and Request to Jam.

What Is Listening Activity on Spotify?

Listening Activity lets you share the song you’re currently playing with friends inside Spotify Messages. It updates in real time, so if you switch tracks, your activity changes too.

This is an opt-in feature. Nothing is shared unless you turn it on, and only people you’ve already chatted with on Spotify can see it.

How To Turn On Listening Activity

If you want your friends to see what you’re playing, here’s what to do:

1. Open Spotify and pull out the side drawer menu
2. Tap View profile
3. Go to Privacy and social settings
4. Toggle Listening Activity on

Once enabled, you’ll also see options to manage who can view your activity. If you ever feel like it’s too much, you can switch it off just as easily.

Where Your Listening Activity Shows Up

After turning it on, your current track appears at the top of your Messages chats and in the chat row of the side drawer. Friends don’t need to ask what you’re listening to anymore. It’s right there.

What Is Request to Jam?

Request to Jam builds on Listening Activity. If you notice a friend listening to a song, you can send a request to listen together in real time.

If they accept, a Jam session starts. Your friend becomes the host, and both of you can add songs to a shared queue and listen along together, even if you’re miles apart.

How To Start a Jam Session With a Friend

Here’s how it works step by step:

1. Open the Messages chat of a friend who’s currently listening to a song
2. Tap the Jam option in the top right corner
3. Send a request to start a Jam
4. Your friend can accept or decline
5. If accepted, you’re both listening together and can add tracks to the queue

One thing to keep in mind: you need Spotify Premium to send a Jam request. Free users can still join a Jam, but only if a Premium user invites them.

Who Can Use These Features?

Listening Activity is available to all users who have access to Spotify Messages. Request to Jam follows Spotify’s usual rules, where Premium users start sessions and free users join by invitation.

Both features are part of Messages, so they’re only available to users aged 16 and above.

When Are These Features Available?

Spotify says Listening Activity and Request to Jam are rolling out now in Messages-enabled markets, including India. The company expects wider availability by early February on both Android and iOS.

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